SAMPLE .. Guerlain, Musc, DECANTED SAMPLE from Flacon, 1850, 1900, Flacon Carre, Paris, France .. Please Read!

The House of Guerlain is one of the oldest perfume houses in the world. It was founded in 1828 when Pierre-Francois Pascal Guerlain opened up his first perfume store on 42, Rue de Rivoli in Paris.

Pierre-Francois composed and manufactured custom perfumes with the help of his two sons, Aime & Gabriel. His unique approach was to personalize perfume for a specific person, place or event. Honore de Balzac commisioned his own eau de toilette during the writing of Cesar Birotteau, and the periodical La Sylphide, le Journal des Elegances, scented each issue with a different fragrance by Guerlain.

Guerlain catered to the high society of Paris, and obtained a very loyal following. The perfume house was so successful that Guerlain decided to open a flagship store at 15, Rue de la Paix in Paris in 1840. The house was at its peak in 1853 with it's fragrance Eau de Cologne Imperiale. This perfume gained Guerlain the prestigious title of His Majesty's Official Perfumer of France. This in turn led him to create perfumes for other royals such as Queen Victoria of England, the Empress Sissi of Austria, the Queen of Belgium and Queen Isabella of Spain as well as other crowned heads of royalty.

Pierre-Francois passed away in 1854 and his sons inherited the perfume house. Aime became the master perfumer, a tradition that would be upheld for the next master perfumer in lineage. Gabriel managed and further expanded the house.

There is nothing remaining about the actual composition of this amazing fragrance. According to Cleopatra's Boudior there are a few ancient recipes remaining in the archives.

* Essence of Musk

Tincture of musk, of various strengths. The formula given above (tincture of musk) is that of the Dublin Pharmacopoeia, 1826. Guibourt directs 1 part of musk to 12 of proof spirit. Other authorities direct a smaller quantity of musk. A French work gives the following: Musk in the bag, cut small 6 oz., tincture of musk seed 7 pints; digest in the sun, or in a warm place for 2 months.


* Common Essence of Musk

3/4 ounce grain-musk
1 quart rectified spirit (95 per cent.)
2 fluid ounces finest essence of ambergris
Digest as before. Excellent; but greatly inferior to the others. Essence of musk is an agreeable and powerful perfume, and is greatly esteemed in the fashionable world. Its odor is so durable that articles scented with it will retain the fragrance for years.


* Fine Essence of Musk

1/4 ounce finest grain-musk
1 drachm ambergris
1/2 pin strongest essence d'ambrette
Instead of the ambergris, 1 to 1 1/2 fluid ounces of essence of ambergris may be added after decantation. The quantity of civet ordered should on no account be exceeded. This produces the finest quality of the Paris houses.

The product of each of the above is of very fine quality; but that of above is the very finest that is made, and such as is seldom sold, except by the high-class perfumers, who obtain for it a very high price. It is powerfully and deliciously fragrance.

Other recipes had floral notes thrown in the mix:

* Extrait de Musc

2 pints extract of rose
1 pint tincture of musk
1/4 pint tincture of ambergris
1/4 pint tincture of ambrette
1 oz tincture of storax
4 oz rosewater, triple


* Tincture of Musk.

Rub 1/2 ounce musk in a warm mortar with a little sugar; macerate for a month in 7 ounces alcohol containing 1 ounce each tincture of ambergris and tincture of vanilla. Filter thoroughly and then add a few drops of attar of roses.

"I am sampling a decant from a Guerlain flacon Carre which came into being in the late 1870's and was used at least until 1939. The linear impression I get from Musc is quite unique and hard to describe. My olfactory memory took me immediately back to a childhood pharmacy, where I associate this scent with the alcohol fluid oral thermometers were kept in between uses. It has a resinous strength, but is very light and slightly sweet (ambrette?). My spouse finds it soft and rosy, sweet and round, reminiscent of the rose-centered men's sartorial edc's and edt's of the late 19th century (Penhaligon's Hammam bouquet,, for example). Trying to measure a 2022 nose up against an 1850 world of animal perfumery seems and exercise in futility. Guerlain's Musc smells lovely and would in my opinion wear equally well on a man or woman. The rarity of this creation is such that it should experienced by all perfume lovers, and particularly those interested in the history of Guerlain and/or musk itself." Basenotes Review. Jack Twist

Housed in the Flacon Carre, and surviving storage and the passing of hands over the last century, I am offering here an opportunity to sample this most historic perfume. I have applied some to my skin today and find it to be absolutely lovely. However it is quite short lived. It has a certain gourmand note of almonds. Moderate to rather low longevity .. this perfume just leaves a trail of sweetness on the skin .. but sadly it does not last very long. Perfumes of this age may lose much of their depth and fragrance.